Proximity
by lady-ymmik
Summary: Given all that she had been able to put together, which ultimately was very little, there was still room for this whole situation to be a giant misunderstanding. Certainly, his story was plausible but she was beginning to doubt her own. Maybe an easy mission away from home to attend a lavish wedding as Kakashi's date would help right things. Then again, maybe not. NOTICE INSIDE CH3
1. Chapter One

_Proximity: Chapter 1_

* * *

A quick, squinting glance at the clock on the nightstand was all it took to make two things very apparent to Sakura.

First, it was 5:18 in the morning and there was no good reason to be awake so early.

Second, this was not her bed.

A suckerpunch of guilt knotted deep in her stomach with the realization. Worse yet, she wasn't really sure whose bed it was she had found her way into nor could she remember how she had ended up in such a predicament in the first place.

The last memory she had of the previous evening was when she had been standing at the bar with Ino, knocking back a few mixed drinks in celebration of Ino's successful re-opening of her family's newly renovated flower shop. From there, the night was little more than a blur of neon lights and pounding music. At some point she recalled running into Sai and the rest of Team 7, back from a successful mission from somewhere to the East. There were no clear pieces to put together the rest of the puzzle after meeting her boys, and truthfully, she wasn't sure where that fell in the grand scheme of her timeline.

With an uneasy sigh, she sat up with the blanket pooling around her waist, reluctantly inspecting the empty space next to her. Her partner was gone, but his spot was still warm. Relieved that she could at least get dressed alone, she tossed the blankets back and threw her legs over the edge of the bed. A cool breeze from an open window caught her shoulders and made her shiver, her nakedness a solid reality. Deciding with a silent determination that she was never going to drink again, Sakura settled her feet on the chilly hardwood floor.

After spotting her clothes strewn about, she took a moment to glance around the room while she grabbed her bra from the floor. She fixed the latch at her back as her eyes settled on an all too familiar photograph of the original Team 7 resting on the window sill.

Heat rushed to her face, eyes darting for other identifying, distinguishing features of her partner's room. To her horror, she recognized not only the shuriken pattern blanket but also the brightly colored book series tucked neatly into a small bookshelf across the room.

The guilty knot in her stomach tightened. Of all the people she might have fallen into bed with, Sakura had never imagined it might be her former sensei. She couldn't even remember how it had happened. There was no recollection of even leaving the bar, which horrified her more. What if they had done something in front of someone?

With some relief, there was no residual headache, but the sickness she felt in her belly was far worse than any hangover.

While she was no stranger to the walk of shame, Sakura wasn't in the practise of doing it often. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she'd made the mad dash from someone's bed to the front door. This wasn't going to be any ordinary morning-after flee, though. She was in her ex-sensei's bed - the Hokage's bed. A stealthy escape was of the utmost importance. What a wet dream this would have been for her ten years ago, when young adult Sakura had been brimming with a lust for life and had had a taste for her old mentor.

She silently picked up the rest of her clothes from the floor: the skirt, the low-cut sequin shirt, and her panites, all accounted for. Her shoes, unfortunately, we're not. She dressed quickly, not bothering to fix her crooked skirt or to tuck in the flowing shirt.

With the practised footsteps of a veteran shinobi, Sakura crept to the door on the hunt for her favorite pair of nude pumps. She peeked into the short hall which led straight to the front door.

Behind the bathroom door directly across from her, Sakura could hear the shower running. This was her best chance of escaping without encountering Kakashi in his own home. Chances were good that this was likely his way of giving her the opportunity to leave without meeting him face to face. He was probably just as embarrassed. The same questions were probably racing through his mind. How could they have done this? How did things escalate this far?

She spotted one of her shoes near the archway to his living room. There was a serious debate to leave them behind, but they were her most versatile and her most favorite pair, she couldn't bring herself to just leave them.

Sakura tiptoed down the hall to get her shoe, all the while listening to the sound of running water for any indication Kakashi might emerge from the bathroom. One shoe in her possession, she looked around for the other without wandering from the hall, but couldn't find it.

Creeping back down the way she had come, she clutched the pump in both hands, unsure what else to do with them. She was going to abandon the mate with a hope that it would somehow, mysteriously find its way home. Which it likely would.

She paused by the door, heart stopping with a shuddering palpitation as the pipes groaned and the shower turned off. Her time was up and she sprinted across Kakashi's bedroom to the open window, leaving without a second glance. There was no way should could handle seeing him. The guilt would eat her alive.

With an easy leap, she landed on the gravel roof of the apartment building, the rounded stones only a slight discomfort. The first glow of morning light was breaking on the horizon, making Sakura feel rushed for time. She didn't want to be caught like this in the light of day.

From rooftop to rooftop she bounded with great jumps, crossing the village to her own apartment building in what felt like slow motion, though she knew she could span the distance in the matter of a few minutes. Sakura worried her bottom lip as her home came into sight, her newest concern becoming Ino.

While her blonde roommate wasn't often an early riser, Ino had a penchant for worrying and had likely realized that Sakura didn't make it home. Which meant an awkward talking to and a pat on the back or the famous blue-eyed look of judgment. Sakura didn't want a pat on the back for this or the judgy look. She wanted to forget the morning like she had the night.

Sakura landed at her window and swore under her breath when she realized it was locked. With a grumble she landed on the ground and entered the building like a normal person, taking the stairs all the way up to the fifth floor. She produced her key from her skirt pocket and slipped it into the lock silently, pushing the door open as soon as it clicked.

Ino wasn't waiting in ambush in the living room, and Sakura released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

There was some comfort being back in the safety of her own home. It made her feel like maybe she and Kakashi could brush whatever had happened underneath the rug and never speak of it again.

Sakura practiced a speech in her head, mulling over what she might say if he approached her about it as she walked down the hall, past Ino's room and the kitchen to get to her own.

The sound of an accusatory throat clearing stopped her, rendering Sakura unable to move. She turned and met Ino's glaring stare, her manicured nail tapping the wooden table in the kitchen.

"Where have you been, Forehead?" The blonde asked, her voice laced with more concern than judgement.

Sakura glanced down at her disheveled appearance and gave her friend an uncertain shrug and a fake smile. "Just out."

"Just out my butt, look at you." She gestured openly. "You're even missing a shoe."

"I would really rather not talk about this right now."

"Last time I saw you, Kakashi was bringing you home because you were too drunk to make it." She said. "Besides, I know this strut too well and it's not like you to sneak in at 6AM. Spill the beans. Who was it?"

Sakura glanced around guiltily, clenching the shoe in her hands tightly enough to make the leather squeak. It took a moment, but Ino's eyes eventually widened with realization.

"Nooo."

"Ino-"

"You slept with Kakashi? That's so dirty! Was he any good?"

Sakura shrugged awkwardly, giving in with a few quick steps into the kitchen. She plopped down into the wooden chair next to her friend. "I don't remember. I just know I woke up naked and in his bed."

"You don't remember? At all?" Ino asked, shocked. "You shagged your sensei and you don't even remember?"

"I don't even remember last night. It's all fuzzy." She admitted, leaning in close. "He was already awake and in the shower and I was too afraid to stick around for answers."

"Wow. I mean, I trusted him to drop you somewhere safe, so I wasn't too worried when I got home and you were gone, but wow."

Sakura nodded dumbly and sat in silence for a moment. "Please don't tell anyone. I need to get this sorted."

"Yeah, I won't tell, but I'm definitely not going to let you live it down." Ino mused with a smile.

She rolled her eyes and got up. "I'm going to take a bath and then go back to bed."

If she could wash away the filth of last night, maybe she could wash away the shame of the morning. She could also take a few moments to examine herself naked and make sure there were no incriminating marks left behind, like hickeys or hand prints, which would confirm her fears.

Sakura was halfway down the hall when Ino spoke again, calling out to her. "What are you going to do about your advisory board meeting today?"

"..." She had truthfully forgotten about her afternoon meeting. It was a standard bi-weekly meeting she always attended. Despite the fact there would be other people around, like Naruto and Shikamaru, Sakura would still have to speak with Kakashi. She was among his most trusted advisors.

She steeled herself and closed the bathroom door. She was professional, she reassured herself. They could have an adult conversation and not be weird about what happened. If they could fight alongside one another in a war, they could certainly look past a night of poor judgment for the sake of the village.

Drawing a warm bath in the tub, Sakura dropped a few lemongrass bath-oil pearls under the steady stream and watched as they broke open, filling the room with the comforting scent. While she waited for the tub to fill, she discarded her clothes in a messy pile by the hamper, stripping down to nothing.

In the mirror vanity she took a moment to examine her neck and shoulders. At least Kakashi had had the decency to not leave any marks where someone might see.

As Sakura climbed into the bath, she spotted a new bruise on her inner thigh. The guilt she had been feeling doubled and made her woozy. Had Kakashi left his mark here of all places? At some point in the last few hours had his head been buried between her thighs? The thought of the famed Copy Ninja eating her out both thrilled and terrified her. It was morally taboo for a number of reasons, but even Sakura could respect the worldly lore that followed him. Were he any other person, the walk of shame she'd taken might have been a stride of pride.

She sat against the edge of the tub and healed the small blemish quickly, then sank down into the hot water with a sigh until all but her head was submerged.

Given all that she had been able to put together, which ultimately was very little, there was still room for this whole situation to be a giant misunderstanding. As she pulled and pushed water with cupped hands before fetching her wash cloth she reasoned that she was mistaken. Kakashi would never jeopardize their relationship, and Sakura liked to think that she wouldn't either. Not at this age, anyway. But alcohol had been involved and lines could be blurred.

Ino popped her head in as Sakura finished scrubbing her face. "I was thinking, all joking aside, I have a morning after pill in the medicine cabinet for just in case moments. This might count as just in case."

Sakura gazed at her friend softly for a few moments. "Thanks."

"Right. Enjoy your bath."

She sat back against the tub and sighed, pressing her glowing palm flat against her stomach and gave a quick search with her chakra. If they had had sex, they'd used protection or he'd pulled out. There was no sign of any ejaculate, which was an enormous relief Sakura didn't know she had needed.

Dipping her head beneath the water, she wetted her hair, taking a few minutes to shampoo and condition. When she was done, she drained the tub and climbed out, toweling off completely before wandering to her room.

She found a pair of black joggers and one of her old red training shirts, slipping into them both easily and into bed, dumping the wet towel on the floor. The sun shone brightly through her window now and made her pull the covers up over her head.

She was torn between worrying she'd fallen into bed with her old sensei and reassuring herself that she had simply misunderstood the situation. There was probably a good explanation for everything, from Kakashi promising Ino he would see her home to her waking up naked in his bed, clothes strewn about. Whatever the case, what had happened happened and now all she could do was pick up the pieces until things made sense.

Sakura woke hours later, just before noon, sweating beneath the weight of her duvet. She stretched out on her bed before getting up and padding into the kitchen.

She fixed herself lunch and went back to her room, sleepily looking over the minutes from the last advisory board meeting as she chewed a piece of her sandwich. She had a new resolve to face what she had done as maturely as she could. She would reap what she sowed and face the consequences of her actions. She could look past this and still remain good friends with Kakashi if he could do the same. They were both adults after all, she was no longer a bumbling twelve year old.

A new hospital renovation was on the agenda among a number of other topics, which meant Sakura would be fully invested. There was also talk of creating a new class in the academy which would require all ninja to have the most basic poison training in both treatment and utilization, which was another bullet point she was to have a lot of say on. That meant lots of face to face talking with Kakashi, which she was totally fine with. She was a big girl.

The nervousness that had dissipated in her sleep slowly returned as the two o'clock mark neared, building until she was an anxious worrying mess again. She changed into something more appropriate, donning her standard uniform, her mind running away as she traded joggers for shorts.

It wasn't like her to approach something so irrationally, she told herself while fixing her hair in a mirror. She was a level headed shinobi. This was nothing.

She grabbed her notes and left for the meeting, forcing her feet in the direction of Konoha's headquarters. Each step was begrudging, but she kept on until she was halfway up the stairs in the tower. She reminded herself of her purpose. She had braved far worse than a little embarrassment.

Setting her shoulders, she carried herself into the grand office with purpose, taking her usual seat next to Shikamaru and Kakashi, both of whom were yet to arrive. A list on the chalkboard against the far wall called out the board members who would be unable to attend due to missions outside the village.

"Hiya, Sakura!" Naruto greeted as he came in and took his seat across from her.

"Hi, Naruto." She smiled, instantly eased by his greeting. "How's it going today?"

"Oh, you know. Same old. Spent most of the morning training with Sai, we're working on a new ink-shadow clone combo that's gonna blow your mind."

"That's great.".

A few more ninja filed in, filling empty seats around the long table. Among them was Genma, who bobbed a senbon lazily between his lips. He looked like he didn't want to be in attendance anymore than she did. Following not far behind him were Kurenai and Sai, leaving only Shikamaru and Kakashi left to arrive.

The room hummed with quiet discussions as they waited for the final two members. Sakura listened with amusement as Sai and Naruto bickered between themselves about the victor of their last sparring match and who the real mastermind behind their new technique was. Naruto brimmed with frustration at Sai's calm, collected argument.

Eventually the board room door swung open, the Hokage and his main advisor involved in a serious discussion regarding a funding request from Kiri.

"It's about time." Naruto exclaimed, resting his chin in his hand. "We've been waiting forever."

Sakura's resolve wavered as Kakashi took his seat at the head of the table, setting aside the large, formal hat he wore. His gaze met hers and he offered her a friendly smile, eye crinkling happily. She gave him a tight lipped expression in return. She hoped he took it kindly.

Throughout the meeting, Sakura couldn't help glancing back and forth between her growing notes and Kakashi. He acted so normal, like he had not a care in the world. If he had any underlying anxiousness about what had transpired between them, he hid it. A few times she was able to cast aside all her doubt, in favor of pouring all her focus put into arguing meeting points, like the poison classes and hospital renovations. The renovations, much to her chagrin, were voted down for now, though nearly half the board had been in favor, including both Shikamaru and Kakashi. The poison application, however, was voted in and the predrafted rule was quickly signed into effect. All students currently in the academy would be required to complete the course before completion and allowance into the Chuunin exams. From there, they discussed offering more advanced courses in the future to allow students to specialize if desired.

There were a few other votes thrown into the mix later, including the possibility of setting up an embassy in Suna. Naruto offered to head the program as project manager, but everyone could tell that it was a thinly veiled excuse to visit Gaara.

"I think this is it for today's agenda." Kakashi finally decided, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed across his chest. "Kurenai, was there anything you needed touched on again for the minutes?"

"No, I have everything. Thank you." She said, finalizing some of her notes. "I'll get these typed up and distributed to everyone before our next session."

"This meeting is concluded, then. Have a good day, everyone."

Everyone filed out, though Sakura stayed behind for a few moments and took the time to straighten her notes before standing up from her chair. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and scooped up her folder.

"You certainly wasted no time leaving this morning. We didn't even get to have breakfast."

Sakura froze, eye to eye with Kakashi, who stood relaxed in the doorway, his shoulder pressed firmly to the frame. She hadn't noticed him come back.

Heat crept into her face. "I…"

"You left your shoe behind. I'll drop it off later if you don't want to come get it." He said casually.

"Kakashi, I…" She shifted her weight uncomfortably. "About last night…"

"It was no trouble." He offered her another one of his friendly smiles. "Though I don't often share my bed with just anyone."

Was he… teasing her? Was he serious? She couldn't tell. "Did we _sleep_ together?"

This question seemed to throw him for a loop, his eyess widening slightly. His brow knitted in what might have been confusion, but she also got the feeling there was some concern there before is expression returned to his normal, bored, half-lidded sleepy look.

"You don't mean as in just sharing a bed as friends, do you, Sakura?"

"I don't remember anything that happened last night." She admitted, looking down to her feet with a wiggle of her toes. "I woke up naked in your bed. I had a hickey on my thigh."

"If I was a crueler person, I would take this and tease you forever. It was a bruise, Sakura." He hid a grin behind his mask.

"Huh?"

"You've gone and made something out of nothing. If you had stuck around long enough this morning, I could have explained everything." He chuckled, coming into the room. The door closed behind him softly and he came closer, leaning with his hip pressed against the wooden stand. Sakura averted her eyes to his face and not where his body met the table. "You were quite drunk last night. Ino wasn't ready to go home and I didn't want you stumbling around on the streets by yourself. Naruto and the team had returned from a mission last night so they invited me for drinks. I offered to take you home, both to make sure you were safe and to get away from the party. When we got to your apartment, you couldn't remember where you had stuck your key and you didn't want to break in, so I offered to let you sleep on my couch."

Sakura listened to him, clinging to every word. She couldn't remember any of this, but it seemed real enough. It was believable.

"You agreed, so we went to my place. No sooner had my front door shut, you were kicking your shoes off and stumbling into the living room like you owned the place. You caught the corner of the side table with your leg, which is where the bruise is from. Once you were settled on the couch with a blanket, I went to bed."

There was a look of amusement on his face that irked her, but she gestured for him to go on with his story.

"Maybe an hour or so after going to bed, you came crashing into my room, complaining that it was too hot to sleep. You opened my window and started stripping. I tried ignoring you and rolled over like a gentleman, but you crawled into bed with me," He snickered quietly. "Then you talked my ear off for another thirty minutes or so before you actually fell asleep. I woke before you and decided to take a shower. You were gone when I was done, though I did hear you sneaking around."

If her face had been pink before, she was certain it was red now. Of course there was an explanation for everything. She had tried telling herself there was. How could she have been so silly as to let herself think that she and Kakashi had had sex? A wave of relief crashed over her and she took a few deep breaths.

"Do you feel better now, Sakura?" He mused, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

"Much better." She sighed, the weight in her chest was gone now. "I spent the whole morning worrying we had, you know."

"Rest assured Sakura. If I wanted to sleep with you, I would make sure you were sober first." He teased with a wink, making her blush harder. "Wouldn't want you to forget any of the juicy details."

"You're awful." She accused, though half-heartedly and more in amusement than anger. "Don't you have a job you should be doing?"

"Taking care of you is one of my jobs." He laughed. "But yes, I do believe I'm running late for another meeting. If you'll excuse me."

She nodded and watched as he adjusted his hat before leaving the room, long robes following behind him.

This was good. They were still friends and Sakura could, with a little embarrassment, look him in the eye. She was more concerned now with the fact that drunk her had thought getting naked was an efficient way to cool off. She knew Kakashi had a ceiling fan in his living room, which she easily could have turned on. Oh well, if that was the worse that had happened, she could live with it. At this point, she couldn't bring herself to even care what drunk nonsense words she had chewed him with.

Sakura stopped by the hospital on her way home, making sure to help with a few of the clinical cases that were piling up. There was a young girl with a first degree burn on her leg, an elderly woman with stomach pains, and a man that had accidentally cut the tip of his finger off while working. Sakura was able to treat all of them quickly and Shizune thanked her before sending her on her way.

It was just starting to get dark when she arrived home. As she closed the front door she was met with the wafting smell of Ino's cooking. She dropped her things in her room before wandering out to see what was on the menu for the evening.

"You were gone a long time." Ino said, glancing over her shoulder as she opened the over to check her broiling fish. "How did things go?"

"Fine. Good, in fact." Sakura told her as she grabbed plates from the cupboard above the sink. She relayed everything that he had told her, from the bar to getting naked and even his finishing comment about having sex with her sober, which in hindsight Sakura thought was an odd thing to say. She busied her hands setting the table and waited for Ino's response when she was done.

"Did he really say that?" She asked, setting a bowl of steamed vegetables on the table. She propped a hand on the counter, the other on her hip, standing slightly angled to look at Sakura.

Sakura nodded as she set out cutlery for them. "He did."

"I can't believe you couldn't find your key in your pocket, by the way. You haven't been that gone in a long time." Ino teased, turning to pull the fish from the oven.

Sakura plopped herself down in her chair and rested her chin in her hand. "I know."

Ino dished the meal out and dumped the pan in the sink before sitting down beside Sakura. "So real question, if you did have sex with Kakashi, do you think he would be a good lover?"

"Oh shush, it's weird to think of him that way." Sakura waved her hand in front of her face as if to shoo away the thought. She had considered such things long before this incident but she would never admit to such; seventeen year old Sakura had gone through a phase.

"Weird?" Ino cut a piece of her fish and stabbed it with her fork before pointing it accusingly at Sakura. "Five hours ago you thought you _had._ You can indulge me for few seconds and pretend."

Sakura swatted away Ino's fork and fought a giggle building in her chest. "Fine, fine, but just this once. Never again."

"Agreed."

"I think… he would be attentive, I guess? I mean, obviously he would pretend not to be because that's who he is, but I think he would be good in that regard." She managed after a few moments.

Kakashi was known for being unnessarily aloof and nonchalant despite actually caring. He was also sure to take his jobs very seriously, even if he procrastinated and put things off until they couldn't wait any longer. He knew when things counted. It didn't take a lot to envision him being that way under the sheets, too. He was probably into edging or something, something that would give him all the control while still making sure the job was getting done. He could pretend to not really care and tease his lover all the way to the point of climax before lazily taking a break only to repeat the process.

"I don't know. He can't be that good at everything, He's gotta be lacking something somewhere. Maybe…" Ino paused a moment to chew. "Maybe he comes too fast."

"You think?"

"I bet. He's probably all about dragging foreplay out because once he enters, he won't last even two minutes." She snickered.

Sakura bubbled with laughter. "Copy Ninja Kakashi can't keep it up."

"Worse yet, maybe he's not got a lot to work with. You think you're getting a sword but you're getting a kunai instead."

"That's mean, Ino. He can't help how big it may or may not be."

They laughed amongst one another through the rest of dinner, coming up with bigger, more ridiculous theories as to what Kakashi might be like as a lover. Sakura was practically in tears by the time she finished her fish and got up to answer a knock at their front door.

"Stop, Ino, you're so terrible." She laughed, making her way down the hall to the door.

"I'm just saying." She sang. "There's no way a man like that doesn't have a box of miscellaneous toys under his bed."

Sakura wiping her eyes as she opened the door, smiling like an idiot. She startled slightly, surprised to find Kakashi smiling at her, eye's creased. Her own grin faltered. He leaned in, braced against the doorway with one hand, her missing shoe in the other.

With a wave, he wiggled the pump in front of her. "As promised, Sakura."

"Thank you." She said, taking it from him easily. "I would have stopped by for it eventually."

"I was headed this way anyway, so I figured I'd drop it off." He said casually. Sakura couldn't place it, but she didn't trust the look in his face. Something in his eyes made her uneasy.

"I'd invite you in for dinner, but we just finished." She said apologetically.

He waved his hand at her, "I couldn't impose, so I'll be going. Could you give Ino a message for me, though?"

"Of course."

"Tell her that if a shinobi knows how to use their kunai correctly, they don't need a sword. She'll understand."

"Uh, sure." Sakura quipped. "Have a good night, Kakashi."

"You too, Sakura. I'll see you later."

He vanished with a flicker and Sakura closed the door, mulling over his message as she made her way back into the kitchen.

Ino looked up at Sakura and then her shoe. "He dropped it off?"

"Yeah." She said, face burning red now as realization dawned on her. "Oh… oh no."

"What?"

"He… he asked me to tell you that if a shinobi knows how to use their kunai correctly, they don't need a sword."

"He whaaat?" She gasped.

"He heard us. I'm going to die." Sakura said dramatically. If she had been embarrassed about thinking she had slept with him, she was more embarrassed to think that Kakashi had heard them speculating about him having a small package, weird fetishes, and a collection of weird bedroom toys among other terrible things. While she knew this was the kind of thing he would find eternally humorous, Sakura was sure she wouldn't be able to recover from being caught.

Ino burst into laughter, howling until she was breathless and wheezing and falling from her chair. Eventually, Sakura started giggling along.

When they finally calmed down, they cleaned off the table, washed the dishes, and wiped down the counters. Ino dried the plates and pans from the rack, arguing that with her new manicure, she needed to avoid the soapy mess in the sink.

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight, Forehead?" Ino asked, hanging the dish towel from the oven handle.

"Sure. Let me know when."

"I'll come get you. I've got to finish the laundry first."

"Okay."

Sakura wandered down to her room and undressed as she walked to her bed. She pulled on the joggers from earlier that morning and found a loose fitting top, then crawled onto her bed and propped up her pillows. She flopped down and got comfy, snatching her book from the nightstand.

It was an exciting tale about star crossed lovers destined to save the world at the cost of their love or perish together. Sakura was sure that the ending was going to be sad, but she was only half finished and she could imagine the plot taking so many turns that it was hard to predict what the outcome would be. Secretly, she hoped the ending was sad, because she could appreciate a good cry over a good book.

She managed to get through three chapters when Ino propped herself seductively in the doorway, crooking a finger in Sakura's direction. "Come hither, it's movie time."

"You're so weird." Sakura mused, closing her book.

"You're the weird one." She teased. "What do you want to watch? Sappy? Sexy?"

Sakura tapped her chin with her finger a few times. "You bought a few new ones the other day, right? Let's pick from those."

"Two of them are scary." Ino said, starting back down the hallway, her slippers rustling on the hardwood.

"Mm, not in the mood for scary. Let's watch sexy."

They both settled down on the couch in the living room with a big bowl of popcorn and their biggest blanket shared between them. Munching quietly, Sakura couldn't help her thoughts wandering as they watched. The main character's love interest reminded her a little of Kakashi, mysterious, aloof, and an unexpected jokester. He even kind of resembled him if she squinted hard enough. In the main character, Sakura could see a bit of herself. She was determined and dedicated and a woman not to be trifled with. While Sakura considered herself close to Kakashi, she couldn't see where the main and her lover really developed any sort of relationship. It didn't defer from the steamy scenes, luckily, and they pulled Sakura's attention back into the film.

Ino nudged her with her elbow as the lover went down on the main character. "That's Kakashi." She whispered.

"What?"

"And that's you." She continued as the screen panned to the main character's o-face.

"Oh my god, shut up." Sakura blushed, her mind returning to her thoughts from the morning when she had imagined Kakashi's face buried between her thighs. She shook her head to clear the image away, but it was no good as she started to imagine other things as the movie went on.

Ino laughed at herself and shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth before pulling the blanket up higher. "Oh, this is my favorite part. Shh."

By the time the movie ended, Sakura was concerned that they had made the wrong decision watching such a hard romance. Her head was filled with unsavory, inappropriate samplings of Kakashi, no thanks to Ino. What was a few dirty thoughts amongst friends, she tried to reason. He had probably had his fair share, too- she had crawled into bed with him completely naked, afterall. She couldn't fault him for anything she might have inspired.

She could, however, fault herself for getting so carried away. It had been a long time since she'd taken a lover and it was very, very wrong to be thinking of such a good friend in such a way. Not only a good friend, but someone who had been a mentor to her in her adolescence. There were always going to be taboos in that regard.

Despite those things telling her that she was crossing into unknown waters, she couldn't help that fascination that was now kindled within her. It was almost exciting because he was Copy Ninja Kakashi, copier of over one-thousand jutsu. Stats like that were enough to woo anyone who had any sort of understanding of the shinobi world. If she looked at him with an outside eye, he was an incredible specimen.

Sakura tunneled under her duvet after propping her window open and settled down into her plush mattress. She considered relieving some tension to her new fixation, but decided that that was taking things too far and instead grabbed her book and flicked on her lamp, reading well into the night.

Sakura woke with a yawn, and sighed as she tossed onto her side facing the windows. She stared for a few minutes, watching as rain clouds moved in over Konoha. She didn't mind the rain, and she knew exactly where the man occupying her thoughts would be on a day like this. It had been awhile since she had gone to visit those they'd lost in the war.

She got up and dressed and headed out to the memorial where Kakashi was already standing. He slouched with his hands buried deep in his pockets, eyes fixed on the epitaph. Silently, she came to stand beside him.

"Rainy days are good for paying respects." She said softly.

"Indeed." He agreed after a few quiet moments.

They stood in silence until the gentle rain subsided. Moments like this were locked away in Sakura's heart, saved for cherishing and fondly, if not sadly, looking back on. She couldn't recall the first time she had joined him at the stone in mourning, but it had become something of a habit to meet him, and she had joined him on every rainy day since. Sometimes they chatted about the past or about the future. Sometimes they didn't talk at all. Just being there for one another was enough.

Kakashi picked up his head and glanced to the sky, sighing softly. "What's on your agenda today, Sakura?"

"I'm not scheduled at the hospital, so I'll likely be floating around the office today. I might get with Iruka to begin looking at implementing the new program." She mused as they started walking back toward the village. "What about you, Hokage-same?"

He snorted with amusement at the name. "I've been invited to a wedding out in Iwagakure for the standing Tsuchikage." He shrugged before continuing. "So I've got some packing to do and I need to find my plus one."

"It'll be good for you to get away for a bit and Naruto loves when you leave him in charge, too. It's good practice." She replied. "You could detour to Yugakure on your way home and enjoy the hot springs."

"I rather like the way you think." He smiled.

Oh, if he had only known what she had been thinking the night before, she wondered how much he would like that sort of thinking.

"Sakura, why don't you go with me?" Kakashi asked, pulling one of his trusty books from his hip pouch. Sakura could see where he had taped the spine in an effort to prolong the orange cover's life.

"To a wedding?"

"You'd be compensated." He practically sang. "You'd be there not only as a plus one but as my own, personal bodyguard. Double duty."

Escort missions were easy money, and escorting Kakashi would be the easiest job ever. She weighed her options as she thanked a higher power that he wasn't being weird about what he'd heard last night.

"Sure. Why not?" She smiled, lacing her fingers behind her back as she tilted forward to look at him. "You've got yourself a date."

"We'll leave this evening. The wedding is in four days."

"Should I pack something wedding formal or just my usual?"

"Hm. Probably both. I would bring standard garb, too. Not sure what sort of wedding this will be." He mused. "I would hate for you to show up over dressed."

Sakura hummed in response and wandered quietly beside him for awhile longer. "I'll need to make arrangements at the hospital if I'll be out on missions. What time should we meet?"

"Ah, sundown seems like a good time."

"Right. I'll see you then. Or sometime after." She teased with a jab of her elbow. "Whenever you decide to show up."

He smiled with amusement and ruffled her damn hair with his gloved hand. They said their goodbyes and Sakura headed off to the hospital, putting in for her mission leave for and extended time. While there, she helped fill a few more clinical appointments and worked last into the afternoon. By the time she left, the sun had started setting. She cursed herself for not leaving sooner, but was pleased with the work she had done.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading. Chapter Two coming soon._


	2. Chapter Two

_Proximity: Chapter 2_

* * *

Ino was already home and was mopping the hardwood floors, blonde hair piled on top of her head, when Sakura arrived and Sai sat on their sofa, sketching her as she worked. He glanced up as Sakura dropped her keys in the dish by the door and greeted them with a smiled.

"I'm home."

"Shoes, Sakura!" Ino shouted, "Don't walk across my clean floor in them."

Sakura rolled her eyes and reached down to undo the strap on her boots before toeing out of them. She kicked them to the side and trotted across the floor.

"She yelled at me for my shoes, too." Sai said, turning the page in his sketchbook. "So I jumped from the door to the couch."

Sakura snorted at him and shook her head, walking down the hall to her room. "Oh, Ino, I'm leaving on a mission with Kakashi tonight. I'll be gone for at least a week."

"What kind of job is it?" Ino yelled from the living room.

"He was invited to a fancy wedding for the Tsuchikage and needs a plus one and escort." She paused in front of her closet, looking through her various hanging dresses. "Can I look through your dresses?"

Sakura stayed in place as she heard Ino's slippers scuff down the hall until she stood in the doorway. "What's wrong with yours?"

"I don't really want to wear any of these."

"Why, trying to impress Kakashi?" She asked.

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Of course not. He said he didn't want to see me over dressed. All of my wedding dressy dresses aren't in season."

Ino stared at her for a few moments before her lips curled into a cheshire grin, one brow lifting curiously. "He doesn't want you over dressed, huh?"

"He didn't mean it like that, you pig. Can I look through your dresses or not?"

She laughed. "Yeah, come on, I'll help you pick one out. Most of them are going to be too big in the top."

Sakura rolled her eyes and followed Ino down to her room. Unlike the rest of the house, Ino's room was a livable mess. Clothes were scattered around the floor and her bed wasn't made. She had various posters hanging crookedly on the wall and make-up strewn about her vanity and the top of her dressers. It was a familiar disarray that made Sakura feel so at home as she climbed onto her friend's bed as Ino strode to the closet and threw it open.

"You'll be at a wedding attended by multiple Kages, so slutty probably won't be appropriate." She reasoned as she thumbed through a number of sequined pieces. "You like modest outfits but also like to be comfy, which means these tight ones are out, oh, how about this one?"

Ino pulled out a sleeveless navy dress adorned with silver pinstripes. It tapered at the waist with a thin accent chain, looked about knee length, and was definitely something Sakura could see herself wearing. Simple and clean looking, a cut above much of what Ino owned.

Sakura nodded with approval. "Oh, I really like that one. Where have you been hiding that?"

"It's cute, right? I haven't had a change to wear it yet. It'll fit you." Ino set it aside and moved to grab another. "This one is fitted, but still nice."

Between the blue one and the red one she now held up with the ruched center line, Sakura leaned toward the first. "I'll take the navy one." She hopped up and grabbed it from Ino. "Thanks."

"Sure. What shoes are you taking?"

"The silver wedges, I think. They should match."

"Yeah, those will go well. I'm going to finish mopping now before I lose all ambition and before Sai goes home. Say goodbye before you leave."

"I will."

Sakura went back to her room and grabbed her mission bag, quickly tossing in her standard mission blues, the dress, and the flak vest she usually didn't wear. A sweater made it into the mix as well as extra panties and her usual mission items. She made doubly sure that she had packed an extra set of senbon and shuriken in case they did run into any trouble. The rest of her time was spent wrapping her thigh and pulling on her gear, topping off the look with her red headband. A quick glance at her nightstand had her snatching her book, which she tossed in the pack as she grabbed it from her bed and pulled it on.

"I'll be off. See you guys in a few days." She said after pulling on her boots by the door.

"Bye, Sakura!" Ino called out as the medic closed the door behind her.

As she had predicted, Kakashi was running late. No surprise there. Sakura settled herself on top of the village wall and looked out over the forest surrounding Konoha as she waited. As it often had in the last twenty-four hours, her mind wandered its way to Kakashi. She was sure he had meant just as she had interpreted earlier, but Ino's suggestion had her slightly flustered. What if had meant he wanted to see her in less clothes? It would probably be hard to over-dress for such an important wedding, which meant he probably wanted her in something… revealing. As if she hadn't revealed enough the other night. Still, it kind was flattering to imagine he had meant it that way.

With a sigh, she leaned back on her hand and swung her feet gently. She was overthinking again. It wasn't as if she was really attracted to Kakashi anyway. She liked the myth, the legend, the maybe. This was a preoccupation which she had brought on herself when she'd thought they'd had sex and it wasn't helped by Ino's encouraging. Truthfully, any affections she had or thought she had for him were probably caused by how closely they'd been working together recently. Ino had called something like that a proximity crush before. Ino had had one on Choji for a while, because he was a nice guy and a good friend.

"Lost in thought, Sakura?"

"Mm? Kakashi, you're late." She smiled, looking up at Kakashi where he stood behind her, framed by the stars night sky above, the rising moon casting him in an almost ethereal glow.

"I would have been here sooner, but there was a little girl and her cat was stuck in a tree and I am the Hokage so it was my duty to assist." He told her as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sure, sure." She nodded. "Where's your hat?"

"Storage scroll. I didn't want the uniform getting dirty while we were traveling. Shall we go?"

"Lead the way."

They leapt from the wall into the trees, their feet easily finding footholds against the mighty boughs. With the night sky settling over them, they broke into an easy rhythm beside one another, traveling at a quick but not strenuous pace. Sakura thought quietly about missions they had been on in the past and their various adventures. She could remember so many good memories which started out the same way.

She could even remember the little things from some of then, things as trivial as who had cooked dinner or if they moved high in the trees or low on the ground. Silly things, really. And then there was the stupid night she couldn't remember. She could only imagine the things she might have said.

"You seem thoughtful this evening." Kakashi remarked as they landed on a branch and took off again in unison. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Oh, good." He said, mocking relief as he faked wiping the back of his hand against his brow.

"Maybe a little, but not really a lot."

"Well, it's a decent journey. We've got time. I'm all ears."

"It's not really important."

"Well, if you change your mind…"

"Yeah. Thanks." She said. "On second thought, you said I talked your ear off the other night. What did I talk about?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Oh, come on, tell me, please?" Sakura asked.

"Ah, ah, you made me promise not to tell anyone."

"You're kidding."

"I would never."

"Kakashiiii, please tell me."

He tutted at her, insisting he would never break a promise, and even if it was the same person he was speaking to, he couldn't break such a solemn vow. After all, you got to really know a person when drunk at three in the morning and there were many things not meant to be shared outside those hours. Sakura rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might get stuck in the back of her head.

"You know, when people tell me what a jerk you are, I always defend you. Beginning to regret that."

He simply laughed at her and shook his head, pulling out his trusty orange jacketed book. Sakura thought about her own book, but she was still in the process of reading and wanted to be able to devote herself to the story. Kakashi had read that silly trash a thousand times and probably just skimmed the dirty parts. She could almost accuse him of not really being a bibliophile, but she had been in his home before and been to the library with him and knew he was an avid reader of many books and that his living room was lined with bookshelves bulging with well worn novels. In fact, reading was Kakashi's most precious hobby.

"Sakura, staring is rude."

She felt heat rise in her face. "I was just wondering what keeps you so entertained with those books. The story is hardly that good."

He gasped dramatically. "You've wounded me."

"I'm thinking in comparison to so many other stories. The plot is subpar, though well written."

"There's your problem. You approach the story probably thinking it's little more than some name brand dime store smut," Kakashi began in a voice that she and Naruto had once dubbed his teacher voice, "but the real beauty is so much deeper than the plot. It has character and emotion which truly carries the story. Plot is a vehicle, but the heart is what makes it move. You have a strong, empowered heroine who is battling what her heart says is right and what her brain says is wrong. She _is_ the story. Who she becomes, each decision changes her."

"How can she become more than what the plot allows her to be?"

"You have to look underneath the underneath, Sakura. You see a woman torn between two men, a simple plot device, but I see a woman who is realizing the rest of her life rides on what she chooses to do in that situation, and she follows her brain and realizes that that isn't what she truly wants."

"She doesn't even stay with the one her heart chooses." Sakura pointed out.

He nodded. "That's the beauty of it. She realizes the person she needs to choose is herself."

"It's just smut."

"But it's good smut. You've obviously read the first two books, so it kept your attention." He paused. "It is good."

"Not good enough to warrant rereading from me."

"You have no taste, then."

"Clearly." She said dryly, hiding a smile with the turn of her head.

They traveled on until dawn, breaking at a stream near the border to refuel and rehydrate. Kakashi briefly went over with her the letter he'd received regarding the wedding. Most if not all of the Kage's would be in attendance, which meant that there would be a draw of attention for any rogue shinobi that caught wind of the ceremony. At the very least, Sakura thought, even if they were attacked, they would have the power of numerous Kage's, including the bride herself, on their side not to mention the other escorts. The wedding party would have no real worries, just nuisances.

Kakashi reasoned that since they were experiencing a time of piece between the five great nations, there probably wouldn't be any incidences. Sakura agreed that he was probably right.

The day passed easily, the banter between them light and jovial. When he wanted to be, Kakashi could be quite funny and kept Sakura in stitches. She could definitely see why she had crushed on him hard at seventeen. He was naturally aloof and private but he had the greatest sense of humor when he opened up and Sakura found it so appealing. There was something alluring about someone who could make her laugh.

Making good time, they arrived in Iwa early the next morning and easily navigated their way to headquarters where they met Kurotsuchi, the Tsuchikage,and her grandfather Onoki, the Tsuchikage prior. They helped guide them to hotel they would be staying at, where reservations had already been made, and parted ways there.

Kakashi slung his bag over his shoulder as they trudged up a marble staircase to the second floor of their hotel, room keys in hand. "Onoki's so old it's a wonder he still gets around."

"Careful what you say, he might throw you over his knee." Sakura joked with a laugh. "In all honesty, he could probably take you even at this age."

"I'm tempted to say you aren't right, but he's stayed alive this long for a reason." Kakashi mused as he rubbed a hand through his hair. "This is my room. Let's get some rest, then we can meet for a late lunch."

"Right. I think I'm just a few doors down. Enjoy your nap." Sakura said, walking past him. He gave her a lazy wave before entering his room.

She found hers a few moments later and entered the small room with a sigh. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was easy to tell it had been something in its glory days. Sakura stripped from her uniform and showered quickly before dressing in a clean outfit and jumping into the center of the bed.

Her bed at home was more plush but this would work well for her, it was just soft enough to be cozy, even if the quilt was sort of scratchy. Sakura shifted and climbed under the covers, nestling in comfortably before dozing off.

A soft knocking at her door made Sakura stir from her slumber. She grumbled sleepily as she shuffled to the door. Not bothering with the peep hole, she opened it and blinked at Kakashi, who wore his Hokage flak vest over his standard uniform blues.

"Ah, did I wake you?" He asked with amusement.

"Yeah, you did. How did you find my room?" She asked, stepping back so he could come in.

He strolled in, shoving his hands in his pockets, and took a seat on the corner of her unmade bed. "I would be utterly worthless as a ninja if I could at least find your room. I also read the number on your card key when we checked in."

"Right…" Sakura instantly thought of the other night and waking in his bed as he planted himself on hers, her face going beet red. She turned and scooped up her boots, shoving her feet into them to distract her from him. "What time is it?"

"It's quarter past four. Too late for lunch."

She nodded as she adjusted the straps. "Too early for dinner. I'm sure we can find something to do to kill the time."

In front of the mirror hanging on the wall, Sakura brushed her hair out with her fingers. She let her eyes settle on Kakashi behind her, who was watching her tidy up with a lazy expression.

"A few things come to mind." He said after a moment, sitting back on one hand as the other settled in his lap.

"Oh, like what?" Sakura asked before she could stop herself. Dumb, she chastised herself, she knew exactly what came to her mind and pretended it didn't. If she thought it, he probably thought it too.

"Hmm, well…" He trailed off.

"Well?"

"We could always, you know…" He rolled his hand dramatically as if to prompt her response, "...read."

"Reading. Yes. Exactly what I was thinking, you read my mind." She said quickly. "Actually, let's go sightseeing. I've never been to Iwa for pleasure." Sakura paused, momentarily shocked she had ended her sentence there. "I mean, obviously this isn't for pleasure, I'm working, it's just an easy mission. And I… you know what I mean."

Kakashi chuckled softly, eyes creasing as he smiled at her. "Sightseeing sounds fine, though there isn't much to see besides rocks."

"I would offer to see if Kurotsuchi needs any help in preparing for the ceremony, but it looked like they were all set on that front with so many ninja running around."

"Mm. A Kage wedding is a pretty big deal. Luckily they didn't invite many outside people." Kakashi mused.

Sakura nodded as she strapped on her gear. "Come on. Let's go look at rocks."

Navigating through the village was easy enough once they got the hang of how people moved. Many of the buildings were connected via an intricate network of bridges, which allowed for easy passage. Iwa was, for the most part, a vertical operation. Each stone tower housed multiple levels and the city was broken into distinct districts, which made staying near businesses and shops easy. In a few places they spotted traditional ground level buildings, which looked important enough for them to avoid.

Despite the mountains not housing much for foliage, the natural springs which broke through the rock formed picturesque waterfalls in the distance. It was a good change of scenery, but it made Sakura miss the lush greens of home.

Kakashi flipped out his trusty book and read as they walked. Sakura took in the people, watching quietly as they went about. Some were decorating for the upcoming ceremony, others were cleaning or working. In that regard, it reminded her a lot of Konoha.

She fell slightly behind Kakashi and watched him ahead of her with curious eyes. The red writing down the back of his flak vest looked so official, his title of Sixth Hokage proudly displayed. Mindlessly, she reached out and traced the symbols with her finger. Her touch made him halt and turn his head slightly to look at her. Sakura jerked her hand away and blushed violently, avoiding his gaze.

"Wow, I don't know what made me do that." She stammered, shaking her head. "Sorry."

"What were you doing?" He asked, reaching around to rub his back to check for whatever she had pinned to him.

"The kanji, I… sorry."

He snorted with amusement. "It's fine. Weird, but fine."

She wanted to die. How many times could she embarrass herself in front of him in a week? Before the celebratory drinks with Ino, she had never had any of these issues with him. They were good friends, trusted confidants, worked closely with one another, and even gossiped together. Sakura could go so far as to say Kakashi was one of her best friends, ranking amongst the likes of Ino and Naruto. Even Hinata and Sai paled next to him, and she treasured her relationships with them.

With the way things were going, Sakura could only imagine the things she might have said to Kakashi. Had she reminisced and talked about Sasuke? Had she told him about her young crush on him? What if she had recounted all of her sexual exploits in great detail? There were a number of things which she hoped she hadn't delved into.

Sighing softly, she continued walking beside him, stopping only when his stomach began growling.

"We should eat." He remarked with a pat of his abdomen. "I'm working on that dad bod, you know."

Sakura laughed heartily. "I can't picture you with a dad bod ever. God, I can't believe you even know that term."

"I stay young and hip with the times."

"There's a ramen stand up ahead. Are you feeling ramen?"

He hummed in thought. "Maybe. I hope they have miso."

The food in Iwa didn't compare to the food at home. Sakura found herself craving Ichiraku before she was done with her meal, and judging from how little he ate when she wasn't looking, Kakashi was feeling the same way. They paid and departed, starting the trek back to their hotel as dusk fell.

Sakura yawned sleepily, commenting off-handedly that she was going to get a great night's sleep. Kakashi agreed with a soft hum.

Walking through the quiet lobby toward the marble stairs, Sakura couldn't help asking what they would do the next day since the wedding wasn't until the day after. While she didn't know the real reason they had left so early for a one day event, she could imagine it had something to do with Kakashi wanting to get away from his office for a little while- he dreaded the paperwork, and if Naruto was willing to do it in the interim, Kakashi wasn't going to stop him.

Kakashi shrugged. "Sleep. Read. Eat."

"A true vacation day, huh?"

"There's television, too. Think of the movies. The shows. Endless entertainment."

"I think the guy at the desk said breakfast is complimentary with the stay. That's nice."

"Yeah." He said as they reached their floor. "Whoever gets ready first can get the other up so we can eat together. And you know, if you get lonely and don't want to sit alone in your room, I'm right down the hall."

"Right. Should I get drunk first and then come over?"

With a shake of his head and a fake cough, Kakashi stifled a slight laugh behind his hand. "I'm rather fond of you sober, but if that's what it takes so be it. I'm prepared to keep anymore secrets you may want to share with me."

She smiled awkwardly. "I'll come down a little later. Sober."

He nodded and slipped into his room without another word. Sakura meandered down the hall to her room and flopped down on her bed, covering her face with her hands. There were too many feelings bubbling within her to really give any of them names. This sort of baffling dithery of her emotions made her feel like she was a kid again.

First, she couldn't believe she had asked him such a thing. She was already embarrassed that it had happened the first time, but making a joke that it might happen a second made her want to die a little inside. Second, she couldn't imagine what secrets she might have shared with him; there were too many he didn't know for her to pick from the list. At least he had reacted well, she mused, he had laughed.

Frustrated with herself, Sakura sat up and grabbed a pillow, clutching it to her chest with clenched fists as she turned on the television. If she were ten years younger, everything about this situation would have been ideal. A mission away with Kakashi, just the two of them… in a hotel… with no one around… no witnesses... two romantics tossed into a romantic situation… It was like one of his cheesy romance novels.

As she settled back on the bed, Sakura fixed her gaze on the coffered ceiling and sighed, wondering quietly what the hell was going on with her. She had bounced back from actual one night stands better than she was bouncing back from this misunderstanding. There had been that one night with Kiba and the two of them had been able to easily move on without any of these weird, emotional hiccups.

Rolling up to a sit again, Sakura fetched her book to take her mind off things. She cracked it open and stared at the page until her eyes hurt, seeing the words but not taking them in.

She felt conflicted and anxious, a knot building in her stomach. She was frustrated but couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why.

With a reluctant grumble, she changed into a pair of sweatpants and a tank top before dragging herself down to Kakashi's room, book in hand.

He opened the door knowingly, draping himself against the frame like he knew she would come crawling to him.

"I'm bored." She quipped.

"Then by all means, come in." He said, stepping back to allow her room.

His room was slightly larger than hers, but had the same decor, from the scratchy quilt to the big box tv. There was a small chair tucked in the corner of the room between the bed and wall, which she locked onto.

Kakashi didn't protest as she took up roots in the chair, kicking her feet up onto the edge of the mattress.

He had changed into more comfortable clothes she noticed as she pretended to read her book, holding it open in front of her face. Kakashi donned a fitted t-shirt and low riding joggers, the outfit reminding Sakura that despite his age, Kakashi was still in prime, physical condition.

She averted her eyes when he glanced up at her, turning the page for extra measure. He seemed to buy it and crawled into the bed, orange book falling open in his hands.

Sakura glanced at him again, taking in his profile and his shoulders and his chest and every single inch hugged by the back fabric. At least he still had all of that going for him.

She eventually settled into her book, picking up where she'd left off. Kakashi read his book as well, the sounds of pages turning filling the silence between them. He shifted against his pillows, sitting more comfortably against them. Sakura blinked at the strip of flesh that appeared as his shirt rode up.

"Staring is rude." He said without looking up. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing. Just zoning out."

"Hn." A page turn.

Sakura worried a page of her book between her fingertips. "What did I tell you that night?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing you don't already know."

"Kakashi." She whined.

He rolled slightly to look at her head on, book closing. "Sakura, if you can't remember, I can't tell you."

"What kind of reasoning is that? I'm the one who told you in the first place."

"That's true."

"So tell me."

"Not a chance."

"There's not a lot stopping me from clocking you in the head right now." She said dryly.

He gave her that lazy shrug he was so good at giving and smiled at her. "Now, now, the Sakura from the other night wouldn't have even threatened such a thing. In fact, she seemed rather fond of me. Fond enough to crawl into my bed completely naked."

"You could say I'm a changed woman now."

"Shame."

"It was probably just drunken rambling anyway." She pouted, crossing her arms as she glared at him.

"Mmm. Could be. Some of it seemed real though. I believed you."

"But what did you believe?" She felt exasperated now. This was the kind of silly game Naruto would play with her, except she didn't mind clocking Naruto when he needed it.

Kakashi took a few deeps breaths before shrugging again, which made her blood boil. "I promised not to tell."

"Kakashiiii."

"Let's put it this way," He started, sitting up on the bed with his legs hanging over the side. "I think you were more honest with me that night than you have been with yourself in a long time."

Sakura frowned at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a smart girl. You'll figure it out."

"I don't know how one person can be so frustrating." She grumbled, nudging his leg with her foot.

"Years of practice."

She rolled her eyes at him. "We should watch a movie. I don't feel like reading anymore."

He nodded and got up, shuffling to the television. The screen flickered to life and he poked through the channels before settling back at the foot of his bed with the remote. Sakura watched him as he continued searching before settling on something that immediately caught her attention.

Oh no. Of all the cheesy, dirty movies he could have found. Ino's teasing cackle echoed in Sakura's mind as she jabbed with her elbow, pointing to the screen telling her the characters were she and Kakashi.

At least it hadn't gotten to _that part_ yet. She would make some sort of grand exit before it got there so she wouldn't have to sit through a vivid reimagining with the very man taking part in her fantasies hanging next to her.

There was also pretending to fall asleep, she mused. She could simply doze off before things on the screen got too heated. She could hide behind her expressions but she couldn't hide the blush that would undoubtedly burn her face. No, she decided, that wouldn't work either. She would hear the sounds and certainly still be embarrassed by breathy moans and wet sounds.

Sakura chided herself when she stuck around, face burning as the lovers in the movie embraced in a hot, sloppy kiss which she knew preceded an intense session of questionable touches against a wall.

She shifted uncomfortably, looking at Kakashi instead of the screen. He watched with that blank expression he always wore, unreacting. The thought of his face pressed between her legs resurfaced, her knees thrown over his broad, defined shoulders.

No, no, no, no. This was not the time for her brain to remind her that it had been awhile since she'd been with a man, that the only times she'd gotten off in the last two years had been by her hand. It was not the time for the warm feeling starting deep in the pit of her stomach or to fixate on the small room and how close she was to Kakashi and a bed.

She crossed her legs to ease the beginning ache and cleared her throat softly. There was no way she was sitting through the entire movie if everytime the characters did something she imagined she and Kakashi the same way. Okay, she admitted to herself reluctantly, there was some degree of attraction to him and she was weak to her natural urges.

"Well, I ought to go to bed." She said, faking a yawn as she sat up in the chair, stretching her arms over her head with a few cracks and pops. Getting out was a priority.

"So early?" He asked, eyes flickering over to her.

"Yeah. Don't want to miss breakfast." She lied as she walked around the bed. The look he gave her made the feeling in her gut sizzle.

"See you in the morning, Sakura. Sleep well."

"You too, Kakashi."

As soon as the door shut, Sakura let out a shaky breath and sprinted down the hall to her room where she could hide.

She brushed her teeth quickly and stomped to bed, still stewing over getting so worked up. Where had the times of simply melting into a gooey, giggling mess gone?

She turned the TV off with the remote and lay in silence, with a busy mind and tired eyes, tossing and turning when she wasn't able to fall asleep right away. The curtains cast long shadows across her room, bathing half the bed in moonlight. It was bright, but not bright enough to keep her awake. She huffed in frustration, rolling onto her back and then her side and her back again.

Before she realize what she was doing, she had her hand shoved halfway down her pants.

"What is wrong with me?" She muttered, pulling her hand from her waistband before flopping over on her stomach; she hugged the pillow and pressed her face into with a heavy sigh.

It wasn't like anyone would know what she had done, she reasoned. It would be her secret and whatever weird, carnal frustration had built up in her would be released- a win win really. If she were lucky, it would completely curb the feelings that had rekindled since that night and things would go back to the way they were, where she and Kakashi were close friends that worked and and ate and gossiped together. Where they were practically inseparable and she didn't have any qualms about what she felt for him. She liked being friends with Kakashi and it would kill her if she ruined what they had.

Sakura rolled over onto her back again with another sigh, hands resting against her stomach with fingers laced. God, she thought, it was like she was crushing on him all over again.

Her heart raced a little. Was that what all of this was? Was she really crushing on Kakashi again? The thought made her face red. Her wants had certainly matured over the years, but that same, almost giddy sensation was the same.

With another toss and a silly smile, because she'd taken so long to realize what she was feeling, Sakura settled on her side and fell asleep.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading. Chapter 3 coming soon._


	3. Chapter Three

Proximity - Chapter 3

* * *

The only real regret Sakura had about leisure traveling with Kakashi was his internal clock. Spending time away from the field had made her forget he was a naturally early riser. He knocked at her door just after six, calling her out for breakfast.

The first few times he knocked, she ignored him and tried going back to sleep. But then he kept knocking, nonstop. Knock-knock. Knock, knock, knock-knock. She buried her head under the pillow, hoping he would take the hint to go away. A foolish decision.

Just when she thought that he'd gotten the message to let her sleep a little bit longer, he started calling her name through the door, singing it loudly and horribly off key.

She got up and let him into the room, shushing him in irritation. "Shut up, people are trying to sleep."

"And I'm trying to eat." He reasoned with a rub of his belly. "I'm starved."

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Time to eat." He nodded, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. He crossed his ankle over his knee and sat back on his hands, blinking at her with amusement.

She scoffed and gave him a light shove as she sat beside him, falling back against the mattress tiredly. "Why are you like this?"

"Like what? Unbelievably charming? Amazingly handsome? Otherworldly and stunning?"

"You're otherworldly all right."

"I detect a hint of sarcasm, Sakura."

"No, really?"

"Wow. Attitude this morning."

She laughed and hit him with her leg. "You're a dolt. Let me get dressed and we can go."

"Finally."

She gathered her clothes from her pack and ducked into the bathroom with a click of the door. She dressed quickly, combed out her hair, and brushed her teeth. She looked presentable, she decided, and emerged from the tiny bathroom.

Kakashi was laying across her bed oblongly, orange book open in front of his face. His clothes had shifted with the strange position, and his laying in such a way made Sakura all too aware of his manhood. Above that, the same delicious strip of skin between his pants and shirt tempted her eyes and made her groan inwardly.

She averted her gaze and busied herself with her boots instead. "Let's go."

"That was fast." He said, sitting up.

"Mm."

The free breakfast didn't offer much in terms of quality food, instead things like cereal and yogurt and fruit had been set out. Kakashi grumbled and offered to take her out for a proper breakfast, which Sakura heartily agreed to since Kakashi rarely paid for anything unless the money was coming from his titular spending budget.

They settled on a small restaurant near the hotel, which luckily served good food and filled their bellies.

"I was thinking," He said as he looked down at the coffee in his hands, "maybe we should see what they have for local entertainment here. Originally, I thought hiking, but I don't know if I want to after travelling here by foot."

Sakura nodded. "That sounds fine. I'm up for anything. Maybe they have good book shops?"

"Could be. We'll ask the waitress when she returns."

The waitress was, with some stroke of luck, able to point them in the direction of some nice, relaxed venues, including a nearby bookstore. Sakura left her a sizeable tip as a show of gratitude when they left, Kakashi even pitched in a little bit for her as well (Sakura assumed from his own pocket but knew better).

Among the places the waitress had recommended on the way to the bookshop was a small aquatic store, with hundreds of exotic fish on display. More like an aquarium than a shop, she and Kakashi stepped inside to pass the time.

Kids of every age gawked at the multitude of colors and sizes, gaping in amazement that creatures like these fish were common in other countries. Sakura even recognized a few river fish from Fire as they passed. They had made a meal of them on missions a time or two, though they had a bland taste.

"Ah, I've seen this before." Kakashi remarked as they stopped in front of a massive, curved tank, the only occupant a sizable red shark. It was nearly the length of Sakura's forearm. "The Mizukage has a tank of these in her office. They live in the ocean near there. I think one of hers was also albino if memory serves."

"She would." Sakura mused. She had met the Mizukage on a few occasions as one of Kakashi's loyal aides and as Tsunade's protege.

"Mm."

They finished their stroll through the shop and moved on to the bookstore, the majority of their day spent sampling new novels and cracking open hardcover copies of old favorites.

In the early afternoon Kakashi eventually found Sakura tucked away in a corner of the shop, medical tome on the table beside her as she thumbed through the pages of a new romance novel.

"You're not buying that brick are you?" He asked, eyeing the inches thick book on her left. Sakura hid a smirk as his gaze slowly meandered to the book spread open in her fingers.

"I am. It's the newest version. I need it." She pouted as she snapped the romantic one shut. Both would be coming home with her. "You ready to head out?"

"Yeah, lunch is calling me."

"Good. Did you find anything?"

"No. I debated getting a new copy of Icha Icha but it feels wrong." He sighed dramatically.

They found their way up to the counter and Sakura purchased her books, then tucked them away safely in a storage scroll from her hip pouch. Kakashi pocketed his hands as they walked, suggesting they eat light at one of the vendor stands to keep room for a proper meal later in the evening. She agreed with a nod.

The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully. Sakura felt more comfortable now and less stressed that she had figured out what her weird obsession was. They were feelings she had had for a while but the thrill and possibility that she done _something_ with Kakashi had compounded everything into more tangible sensations. Just like old times, she and Kakashi enjoyed the company of the other, sitting side by side in the shady grass beneath a few small, flowering trees in a garden park.

Sakura rested her head on Kakashi's shoulder as she read her book, quietly turning pages while listening to the leaves rustle. She'd never tell him how she really felt but at least she could still enjoy these sorts of moments, close to him.

"Is that any good?" Kakashi asked as he thumbed the corner of his book, glancing toward her novel.

"I like it so far."

"Mm. Let me borrow it when you're done."

She nodded and continued reading until they were hungry again. There were a handful of dinner options available to them, and after a brief debate over what kind of cuisine they each wanted, they eventually settled at a small restaurant with a quaint bar and a handful of dining tables.

They seated themselves toward the back and read over the menu quietly. "This is nice."

"It reminds me of a bar back home." Kakashi mused as he fiddled with the condiment basket in the middle of the table. "Near my apartment."

"Oh. I know which one you mean."

"Right down to the questionable film on the tables."

"Hush. It's cute and the food smells good." She laughed softly. "These are my favorite kinds of places."

"Oh, mine too, don't get me wrong." He started, "but I'm also going to call a spade a spade."

"Okay. Maybe there is a _slight_ layer of grime."

He nodded. "They've got an eggplant dish, but it's fried. Should I risk it or just get the miso? Given how far we are from any ports, I can't say I trust any of these fresh seafood options."

"Indulge a bit. You may like it fried." She suggested. "You always order miso."

"I'm a creature of habit."

"If they wrote a book about you, that's what it'd be called." Sakura teased as she slid her menu to the edge of table, having decided on a nice lemon-pepper chicken option.

"I thought for sure it was going to be called Hatake Kakashi, Man Extraordinaire."

She bubbled with laughter. "Nice try."

When the waiter came back around, they ordered. Sakura was surprised Kakashi had decided to go for the fried eggplant and was doubly shocked when he ordered two whiskey sours for the two of them. Her drink of choice.

"What'd you order those for?"

"To drink." He said in that same bored tone he often had. There was a glint of something mischievous in his eyes, though.

"Yeah, but-"

"This is like a vacation for me. I'm just enjoying myself a little and letting loose." He reasoned with a laugh. "I know you happen to like these is all."

Probably learned it the night she couldn't remember, Sakura thought. The waiter brought their drinks and let them know their food would be along shortly.

Kakashi alternated between sipping his water and the whiskey sour as they waited. Sakura, not one to pass up a good drink, reluctantly went at the alcohol. One drink wouldn't hurt anything. At least, she tried to convince herself of that.

Sakura was down a glass when the food came, and she began to protest when Kakashi ordered her another, but he cut her off as he ordered a second for himself as well. She stewed over it, pinning him with a glare in his direction.

"Last one." She said as they tucked into their meals, glasses delivered to their table.

"That's fair." He nodded, slipping his mask down to his chin.

On rare occasions, she'd had the pleasure of seeing the entirety of his face. Sometimes he teased and kept everything hidden, but other times he relaxed a bit and shared this very personal side. She appreciated these moments.

"You know," she began as she watched him take a good swig from his drink, "your face reminds me of this old photographer I met a few years ago. Actually, I think we met him before that, too, but I could be wrong. You and he have similar beauty marks."

Silver brows slid upward just the slightest bit. "Can't say I know who you're talking about."

"It's no matter. I was just thinking is all."

"Mm."

Sakura could feel her belly warming with alcohol, the feeling like everything inside her was relaxing made her tingle pleasantly. She took another sip, nursing her glass between bites.

"The ceremony tomorrow starts at eleven. The reception is at three, same venue."

"Oh, that's nice. Saves us a walk."

He nodded. "Yeah. We just have to make an appearance really. So we don't have to stay long."

"Ah. Where's the fun in that? You're on a leisurely work trip, remember? Let loose, or something."

He chuckled warmly at her.

"Just promise me a dance before your card fills up, yeah?" She joked. "I'm sure an eligible bachelor like yourself will have the masses lining up."

"They sent dance cards out with the RSVP's and I'm so terribly shy, as you know, that I just filled in your name on all the slots. My evening is tied up."

Sakura leaned forward on her elbows, lacing her fingers beneath her chin. "Is that so? Lucky me."

They laughed together and polished off their drinks before paying and heading back to their hotel. The sun had settled low in the mountains, out of sight long enough that stars were just starting to come out.

"I think I'll dress nice for tomorrow." Sakura said as they walked, her arms swinging theatrically at her sides. "As your guest, I might look a bit out of place in my blues when you're in formal attire."

"Ah. Yes. The robes." He mused. "I might forgo most of the ensemble. I brought a nice suit."

"You're gonna wear the silly hat, aren't

you?"

"I, for one, like my hat. It's good for hiding my face when I nap at the desk."

She swayed toward him and bumped his arm with her elbow. He feigned injury by clutching his arm. "You could probably get away with this outfit." She gestured widely to his entire dress.

"Maybe. Not likely." He pondered as he glanced at her with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "You should wear your hair down tomorrow."

"You think so?" She had planned on pinning it up at the nape of her neck in a neat bun, something a bit more formal than what she usually did.

He nodded slowly, reaching out to rub his fingers against the ends. "I think it's pretty like this. It always did look nicer short."

"...thanks." She fought the blush creeping up her neck at the uncharacteristic familiarity he was showing her. She liked it though. The girl inside her who was crushing on him squealed with delight while the woman just rolled her eyes.

It was still a little unnerving to think that all the weird things she'd felt the last week had been because some old feelings for him had rekindled - but as she had concluded the night before, proximity was likely a factor. Like she had with past crushes, she simply had to wait it out. Eventually the butterfly stomach flutters would stop and she'd move on with her life. This was how all crushes before had gone; although the urge to push his face between her legs was new.

There was also wondering if she had really felt these things before that night or not, or if what she was experiencing was just some emotional backlash from her poor drinking choices. If the latter, it was also likely to fade quickly.

"Mm." Kakashi dropped his hand back down at his side and pulled out his trusty book with the other. His profile was illuminated in the evening lights and Sakura couldn't help thinking how relaxed he looked. It seemed getting away from the village was doing him some good.

Sakura started swinging her arms again, feeling warm and relaxed herself. It was nice getting away from the demanding pace of the hospital and her duties as the chief medical advisor. No urgent meetings or emergencies, no stressful life-or-death healings. This had been, thus far, the easiest mission of her life - save for when Kakashi was being insufferable and stingy about sharing information about her drunken ramblings. But even that wasn't bad in a grander scheme.

Parting ways at Kakashi's door, he bid her good evening with a lazy wave and turned in for the night. Sakura meandered down the hall to her own room, counting the doors that separated them. There were five in total, and while Sakura thought keeping parties together was a better idea, she also knew that the hotel was likely filled with shinobi from each nation and that there probably wasn't a safer place in the country right now.

She swiped her key card and entered her room. With the quiet hum of the television keeping her company after turning it on, Sakura changed for the night and went through her routine before laying out her dress to iron in the morning. Her fingers smoothed over the soft material, then snatched it up and held it to the front of her as she stepped in front of the mirror. She could hardly believe that Ino had had this number stuffed away in her closet.

She laid it out again on the table next to the television and climbed into bed, settling down in the covers. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

Luckily, Kakashi was less aggressive in his wake-up call the following morning, but he was still annoying. Sakura was pretty sure that he would always be annoying.

She groaned as she made her way to the door and pulled it open, greeted by that shit-eating grin and a cup of coffee. Okay, he was annoying but he could be endearing if he wanted. And he obviously hadn't been able to decide which outfit to wear for the day, given his open Hokage robes and the suit jacket beneath it.

Taking the coffee, she left the door open and he followed her into the room. Sakura ran her fingers through her messy hair and decided she needed a shower. Kakashi paid her no mind as she grabbed some of her items from her bag, his attention focused on his trusted Icha Icha novel.

With the bathroom door closing behind her, she turned the knobs and undressed as she waited for her wager to warm. The brief notion to walk out naked occured to shock Kakashi but she resisted temptation because she was sure she couldn't do it seriously.

She let the conditioner sit in her hair as she shaved her legs, making sure they would be free of hair when she wore the dress. Outside the door she could hear the rustling of Kakashi's clothes. It _was_ her room. She could walk out undressed if she really wanted. There was a chance he'd be too involved with his book to notice anyway. But again, she resisted the shock and awe urge and rinsed so she could finish getting ready.

The dress fit like a dream, hugging her top in just the right way, the skirt falling modestly to her knees. Ino wasn't getting it back, she decided. Sakura fixed the decorative chain at her waist, righting the clasp to the front.

Not because she liked Kakashi saying so,but because she was fond of wearing it down, she combed out her hair and plugged in the blow dryer from beneath the sink, taking a few moments to get the excessive moisture out. She styled it easily, sweeping locks behind her ears as she let the rest fall freely.

She brushed on a touch of white eyeshadow and dolled herself up modestly, finishing her makeup with her favorite pink lip gloss. She wasn't dressing for him, but she hoped that he liked how she looked (crush be damned).

She opened the door and flicked the light off, stopping a moment to look over Kakashi laying so lazily on her bed, nose buried in not his book but _hers_.

"You'd better not lose my place." She warned as she stuffed her pajamas into her bag. "I haven't finished reading it yet."

"As if I'd ever do such a thing to you, Sakura." He said warmly, sparing her a glance. She wasn't sure if it was because she had been so aware of him lately or if she was imagining it, but she felt like his eyes lingered on her a little too long. She turned her head to hide her blush, brushing it off as she searched the bottom of her pack with her arm, looking for one of her discreet senbon thigh holsters. "You look very nice."

"Thank you." She said, pulling the elastic strap free from her bag. He eyed it with interest, closing her book quietly with both hands. She quirked a brow at him and smirked. "You didn't think I'd go weaponless today, did you?"

"Given your fists, I had assumed you would. You could demolish half of this city with your pinky." Kakashi reasoned as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Sakura laughed as she kicked her foot up on the end of the bed, making sure Kakashi didn't get a show of anything underneath. She was thankful the dress had some length to it, unlike the ruched number she had considered beside it. She slid the band from her foot all the way up her leg, securing it with tug against her upper thigh.

"Senbon garter." Kakashi said, as if he was trying the words together to make sense of the accessory.

It wasn't much different than the weapons holsters they often wore on their thighs, save for that it was worn much higher and was generally utilized by kunoichi. Sakura bit her lip as she imagined Kakashi taking off a garter. With his teeth. And she realized that she definitely had some sort of obsession with his head being near her legs.

Kakashi watched as she slid a handful of short senbon into the flat holster against her thigh, leather folds protecting either sharp end from poking into her skin or anything she might brush against.

"This can't be the first time you've seen one." She laughed, trying to shake the thoughts she was having from her head.

He scratched his head and gave a shake. "It's not, but generally when I see them the senbon are being thrown at me so I don't really have time to marvel."

"If Genma ever gets married, I think his bride might have to wear one of these." She put her foot back down on the floor and smoothed her hand over the material of the dress, making sure that her senbon weren't too obvious. "Instead of taking the garter off with his teeth he'll pull out the senbon."

"A thought I definitely didn't need, thanks for that." His nose scrunched which made her smile.

"You're welcome." She grabbed the shoes from her bag and dropped them to the floor to step into them. She wiggled her foot into the first and adjusted the heel a little before sliding into the second.

Kakashi's gaze seemed to linger on her legs and the shoes, and this time Sakura knew it was for too long, but she soaked up the attention as though she hadn't noticed and fought the blush she could feel starting to burn in her cheeks.

"Can you do ninja work in those?" Kakashi asked curiously, playing it cool like he totally hadn't just been oggling her.

Sakura gave a hair flip and winked at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Of course she could. With chakra, she could work in any shoes.

"When you twist your ankle, I'm not carrying you back." He said.

"I wouldn't expect you to. I'm ready now, by the way. Do we want to get breakfast first?" She fetched the coffee from the table where she'd set it down and took a few sips, happy to find it still warm.

He gave a half-hearted shrug. "I'd really rather save room for wedding catering, but perhaps we ought to get a little something in us… Especially if some of us plan on drinking beyond our limits today, wouldn't want a repeat performance of the last time. Not that you can remember, right Sakura?"

She scoffed at him, drinking her coffee with irritation. "You didn't have to bring it up."

"Oh, I did. I'm just looking out for you."

"Would you look at that, I'm going to have to cancel on you last minute. I've suddenly twisted my ankle."

"Shame. I had better stay to take care of you." His eyes creased with a happy smile and she fought to stay grumpy with him, but he was infectious and she looked away as she smiled.

"So considerate. We ought to go. I'm hungry."

He got up and stretched his arms lazily over his head with a yawn before setting her book aside on the nightstand. Taking a second to right his robes, he gestured for her to go ahead of him.

Sakura turned to him on the stairs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What do you want for breakfast?"

He shrugged and shoved his hands into his robe pockets. "Omurice sounds good right now."

She nodded. "Sounds good. Should we go to the place we went to yesterday?"

"Why not? I liked it well enough. Certainly better than our options here."

Agreeing with a hum as they hit the lobby floor, Sakura pushed past the small crowd that was beginning to gather for breakfast. Wedding excitement was stirring already.

Kakashi drew awestruck gazes from onlookers in his formal robes and Sakura was sure she drew a few scathing glares from Hokage fan girls. She held her head high and gave a toss of her hair over her shoulder.

The stares she could handle. In fact she welcomed them. Because while they all gawked, she got to stand by his side, and that alone was empowering enough to push her past any self-consciousness they might have hoped to inspire.

Breakfast went well, though the restaurant was much busier than it had been the day before with visitors. Kakashi was fawned over in his regalia, but the Kage robes tended to draw such attention in public. He was even nice enough to sign a piece of paper for a young fan who had gawked at them for the entirety of their meal. The young boy practically cried when he ran back to his family after Kakashi had beckoned him over.

"Do you enjoy that kind of attention?" Sakura asked as they left and started a slow walk toward the wedding venue.

He gave a shrug as he slipped his hands into his robe pockets. "I don't hate it but I don't love it. I'm just like everyone else. The attention is exhausting if nothing else."

"I could see that. Doesn't it make you happy though, to see how happy people are to see you? You're the man. The myth. The legend. Copy Ninja Kakashi."

"Oh stop, you're going to make me blush." He chuckled, eyes crinkling pleasantly. "And I'm not the Copy Ninja any longer. Most of my monikers were Sharingan reliant."

"Sharingan or not, the history is still there. People are still awed by you."

"Are you awed by me, Sakura?" Kakashi purred. She could tell he had that stupid grin on his face even with the mask in place.

Her cheeks felt hot. "I'm awed at how immature you are."

"Hmm. I see." He murmured, bring his fingers to his chin thoughtfully.

Sakura watching him suspiciously for a few seconds and debated saying something, but opted out to let him do whatever it was he was doing. He was probably going to bring up the secret he was keeping from her, the things she had said to him the other night. Maybe she had told him how awed she was. Even if she hadn't, Kakashi was never one to miss an open opportunity to tease.

However, he kept what he was thinking to himself, instead brushing it away with another laugh.

"You're so weird." Sakura muttered with a shake of her head.

He smiled at her. "At least I'm not weird enough to crawl into friends' beds naked."

"Oh my god, I'm going to throw you off this bridge." She leaned over for good measure to gauge the distance of his fall.

"You're not a very good escort if you kill me." He reasoned. "You won't get paid."

"You should start pretending to be your Hokage persona now. Practice makes perfect. And you're more pleasant to be around that way." Sakura teased with a jab of her elbow into his ribs.

"You wound me." He gave a long-suffering sigh and held the back of hand to his forehead woefully.

"Someone needs to."

"Ah, is that Mei up there?" Kakashi asked, gesturing off into the distance.

Sakura spotted the white and blue robes and nodded. "I think so. Come on, she can baby-sit you for awhile."

Kakashi seemed to shudder at the thought and slowed his walk substantially, putting as much distance between he and the other Kage as he could. Sakura couldn't help the giggle it bubbled in her chest at his discomfort.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading and all your love and support thus far.

Proximity will be going on a brief HIATUS to allow for chapter reworking. I will be rewriting Chapters 1, 2, and 3 to allow the story to flow better and have a little more cohesion than it currently does.


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